12_3

The fall season is my favorite time of year. A time to reflect on the labors of summer and prepare for the slumber of winter.

I've been working on this design for some time, but never built it until last night. It's a set 12 design, and it's surprisingly taller than it looks.

Note the construction used in the peak to achieve a larger roof from limited set of 262/265 stones.

The construction plans should be easy to follow.

Enjoy!

Set 12 - Packing Plan

As an alternative to the packing plans that accompany each Anchor Stone set, I present the packing plan I use. Note that one of the boxes has an empty space the size of a #1 block. The stones are not labeled, but one should be able to determine placement by observation. The key to this packing plan is that all like stones (in size and color) are packed next to each other and in the same orientation.

12_2 (castle)

This is a tale of two towers, and the bridge that connects them. The design requires set 12 to build.


Note the trickery in the roof tiles(262/265) of the red tower. Lots of detail was used throughout the construction giving it a nice view from all angles. This model should provide a nice challenge to the aspiring Ankerstein builder.


The plans for this construction may be difficult to follow. Consider it a challenge. If the plans are missing any detail, please let me know.

12_1

After a long break, a new model has emerged. Last spring a new box of Ankerstones was purchased from George Hardy. Which brings my collection to set #12. And with that, I present my first set #12 model.

This model was started with the ambitious goal of using all the stones in the box. Alas, I failed in the task, but I'm quite happy with the result. When finished, there were four stones left. Four tiny stones. They could have been packed within the structure. Used to fill a hollow cavity, or embellished the outside just a little more. However, there comes a time when a construction is complete. And about that goal of using all the stones? Well, that can be a challenge for another day.

Because this is a larger model, a modular construction technique similar to that seen in the 8_5 design was used. The tower was created first. It's a building by itself. The roof of the main building was done next. An arcade was created to support the roof. Then a facade was wrapped around the structure. The front being separate from the rest. All these pieces were created symmetric in design. Keeping things symmetric made the design phase easier.

Here are the plans for this construction. The images are rather small, but hopefully large enough to see. Use caution when constructing the tower. The stones are small and must be placed correctly. Also, the roof in the peak is hollow. Blocks were used sparingly to make the construction as large as possible. The model stands about 20" tall.

This is a fine construction that will take some time, and a steady hand. Four blocks in set #12 are unused. What are they?